He revealed that Kenya has built on efforts to ensure that tourism experiences are not only safe and enjoyable for visitors, but also sustainable and profitable for stakeholders in the industry…reports Asian Lite News
Kenya has forecast to receive nearly 1.46 million foreign tourists in 2022, up from 870,000 recorded in 2021 amid the post-Covid-19 economic recovery.
Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife said in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the tourism sector revenues are expected to expand from 146 billion shillings ($1.2 billion) posted in 2021 to $2.19 billion this year.
“Kenya as a tourism destination is quickly on its way to recovery as a result of value addition to tourism experiences as well as diversification of offerings,” Balala added during the opening of the 12th edition of Magical Kenya Tourism Expo.
Tourism is one of the leading sources of foreign exchange for the East African country. He said that the tourism expo, which is the largest East and Central African travel trade show, brought together more than 200 exhibitors and 160 buyers from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
He revealed that Kenya has built on efforts to ensure that tourism experiences are not only safe and enjoyable for visitors, but also sustainable and profitable for stakeholders in the industry.
Betty Radier, CEO of the state-owned marketing body, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), said that the tourism expo is part of Kenya’s efforts to revitalise tourism as it focuses on Africa and other emerging markets.
“We are delighted to have the event return to in-person after two years. Last year we held the event virtually to ensure that the sector did not lose out on any opportunities,” she added.
Kenya’s forex reserves fall to 5-year low
Kenya’s foreign exchange reserves declined by 12.5 billion shillings (about 103 million U.S. dollars) this week to hit a five-year low as the shilling fell to the lowest level in history against the dollar, the Central Bank of Kenya said in its weekly update of the financial markets.
The reserves fell from 7.42 billion dollars last week to 7.32 billion dollars, with the apex bank reported to have sold an unspecified amount of dollars to stabilize the local currency.
During the week, the shilling fell to an all-time low of 120.82 against the dollar, the Central Bank said in its update released Friday evening.
The Kenyan currency has declined 7 percent against the dollar year-to-date.
Despite the decline, the Central Bank, however, said that “the usable foreign exchange reserves remain adequate” to cushion the shilling and cover importers’ demands.
The 7.321 billion dollars reserves, which are at 4.13 months of import cover, however, are in breach of the East African region’s forex reserves policy, where member states are required to maintain 4.5 months of import cover.
Apart from the worries about water and air quality management – often discussed and written about issues – the report also highlighted that solid waste management has come up as a major problem for the IHR…reports Nivedita Khandekar
The barely 10 sq kms Leh town saw a total of 20,918 quintals waste – both biodegradable and non-biodegradable – generated in just 11 months from June 2021 till April 2022. However, of that, only 1,387 quintal waste – plastic bottles, multi-layer plastics, cardboards, tin, etc. – were sold for reuse while 19,531 quintal waste was deposited at the municipal processing site.
Reason: The increasing tourist inflow in the fragile trans-Himalayan landscape. Due to improving and affordable connectivity, particularly air travel, the tourism sector is booming in India and there has been an immense growth in infrastructure. However, not all growth has been sustainable and the tourists’ have not exactly helped in economic prosperity, rather caused trouble for local landscape and biodiversity.
These are the findings of a damning report ‘Environmental Assessment of Tourism in the Indian Himalayan Region’, submitted to the Environment Ministry in compliance with a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order. The report, submitted earlier this month, was prepared by Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE), Almora.
After assessing every single state/UT – UT of Ladakh, UT of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, West Bengal Hills & Darjeeling, Assam Hills, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya – for tourist numbers, municipal facilities for waste treatment, air and water quality and biodiversity listing etc., the report came up with some common actions/suggestions for the entire Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).
The pointers included estimation of tourist carrying capacity, promotion of green tourism, green-premium tax on tourists, accelerate the de-carbonisation of tourism operations, carbon taxes, bio-fuel subsidies, vehicle purchase subsidies, planning and zoning restrictions, restriction on use of vehicles in eco-sensitive areas, feed-in tariffs for renewable energy, establishment of proper waste segregation and management systems in tourist spots, establishment of eco-friendly bio-digester toilets in high altitude trek routes, etc.
Apart from the worries about water and air quality management – often discussed and written about issues – the report also highlighted that solid waste management has come up as a major problem for the IHR.
For instance, in Uttarakhand, currently there are 91 urban local bodies targeting the population of 34,40,814 generating 1,551.76 MTPD solid waste. There are a total 90 ULBs and 9 Cantonment Boards responsible for implementation of the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 (SWM, 2016) but most of the ULBs in the Uttarakhand do not comply with the prescribed guidelines, the report said.
Almost all states had more or less the same story.
The state/UT specific suggestion here for solid waste management included water ATMs as an alternative to packaged water; promoting clean water springs for drinking water purposes on the routes; waste recycling units for the segregated wastes instead of transporting it kilometres away to other states; and applying appropriate technologies for direct use, such as use of shredded plastic chips in road constructions.
One of the greatest threats to tourism is the risk of disasters, the report pointed out in the case of Darjeeling, where it has increased with time.
“Earthquakes and landslides are an annual phenomenon here especially during the rainy season which has intensified in the past decades. (But) the lack of technology and irregular monitoring of climate risks results in devastating effects on the tourist destination therefore it is necessary to equip the State with such technology which shall also assure optimal use of resources by preventing damages to infrastructures,” the report said.
In the case of Manipur, the main hurdle of achieving sustainable tourism is the lack of research and knowledge, it said, and suggested, therefore, there is a need not only to study the intricacies of sustainable tourism but also its linkage with climate change.
In several states, the threat to the biodiversity of that state has been reported; however, data on the impact of tourism on the biodiversity is lacking.
Unavailability of separate data sets on tourist influx in protected areas of the state, especially through online portals of the state, is another issue highlighted.
The report also highlighted some of the positive steps taken. In Arunachal Pradesh, for instance, in 2021, the state adopted ‘Pakke Tiger Reserve 2047 Declaration on Climate Change Resilient and Responsive Arunachal Pradesh’ that aims to promote development that is climate-resilient in the state. The report termed it as a positive move by the state in the direction of sustainable development of all sectors including tourism in the state.
“In some of the over-crowded and mass tourism circuits within Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, some pockets might have gained economic prosperity due to tourism but this could not be true in every state of the IHR particularly the northeastern states. It is, therefore, recommended to conduct more focused studies in terms of economic growth, environmental cost, and tourist carrying capacity to fill up these gaps in the north-eastern states in particular and other remaining states/UTs in general,” the report concluded.
The research also states that since most of the beach litter results from tourism-related activities, this study will be an eye opener for the government departments for taking necessary, timely initiatives while protecting the tourism industry, which contributes largely to Goa’s economy…reports Asian Lite News
The post-Covid resurgence of tourism in Goa, one of the best-known beach destinations in India, has brought a sigh of relief to the state’s tourism industry stakeholders.
But a recent study conducted by multiple research agencies, has outlined just how the lifting of travel restrictions and resumption of mass tourism has led to copious quantities of garbage being dumped back on to the beaches and the seas alongside, with the increased footprint of locals , as well as tourists on the state’s eight popular beaches, post-lockdown.
“The quantification of litter found on eight selected Goa beaches (Morjim, Calangute, Miramar, Siridao, Baina, Velsao, Colva and Palolem) was undertaken during the beginning of lockdown (May 2020) and unlock (January 2021) periods suggests an increase in the litter quantity during unlock period when the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions on tourism are lifted, facilitating tourist inflow,” the researchers noted.
The study was conducted under the supervision of Goa University’s School of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences by researchers from the Goa-based National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula and Canada’s Ryerson University.
According to the research study titled “Spatio-temporal assessment of Covid-19 lockdown impact on beach litter status and composition in Goa”, India’ littering on beaches increased as much as 1032.60 percent at Palolem beach, a popular location with tourists as well as the local population.
“Per capita litter reduction during the lockdown in comparison to the post-lockdown period was found to be highest for Palolem (1032.60 per cent), Calangute (558.62 per cent), Baina (276.92 per cent), Miramar-Caranzalem (229.03 per cent), Morjim (226.66 per cent), Velsao (137.47 per cent), Colva (135.06 per cent) and Siridao (6.77 per cent),” the study said.
The classification of beach litter has been made under six broad sections which includes nylon ropes and rubber (fishing gear), plastic (polythene bags, sachets, snack boxes, bottles, etc), footwear (other than leather items), glass (liquor bottles, glasses, bulbs), metal (any metal items) and thermocol (single-use packaging products).
“For Velsao beach, the glass litter was highest (4,818 per cent), followed by thermocol (621 per cent) and footwear (85 per cent)… Colva beach exhibited an increase in all the categories of litter ranging from 8 per cent (plastic) to 429 per cent (footwear). Glass litter increased (3,103 per cent) followed by rubber (2,140 per cent) and footwear (213 per cent) for Palolem beach, while metal and thermocol showed a decrease by more than 70 per cent,” the study says, adding that the decrease in thermocol, metal and rubber items could be attributed to the slowdown in the fishing industry during the lockdown and immediately after it.
The research also states that since most of the beach litter results from tourism-related activities, this study will be an eye opener for the government departments for taking necessary, timely initiatives while protecting the tourism industry, which contributes largely to Goa’s economy.
“Covid-19 pandemic-related lockdown is an opportunity to understand the positive effects visualized due to lockdown restrictions. Though it is not practical all the time to close down businesses, local administration, with the help of social activists and NGOs, can attempt to campaign at the village level and introduce temporary lockdowns regularly without hindering industrial and economic growth,” the study states.
“Implementation of such a campaign is possible for the small coastal states like Goa, and subsequently, these can be cited as good examples for the larger states to follow,” it adds.
At least 21 people died of cold after they were stranded in their cars during the snowstorm in Murree in Pakistan on Friday night, according to Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Samaa TV reported…reports Asian Lite News
The hill station was crowded after tourists headed there to witness snowfall. On Friday night, the government imposed a ban on the entry of tourists to Murree and Galiyat region. They won’t be allowed to go beyond Satra Meel Toll Plaza, Rasheed said, except in the case of extreme emergency.
On Saturday, the minister revealed that so far, 23,000 cars have been brought back, while an operation is underway to rescue 1,000 more cars trapped in the snow. Heavy machinery has been called in to clear the roads as well. According to reports, this week, nearly 140,000 vehicles entered Murree.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people spent Friday night on the roads. Local residents have been out on the streets distributing warms clothes, blankets, and food to stranded tourists, the report said.
The deaths took place because roads were blocked and people were stuck in their cars for hours. They couldn’t reach their hotels.
Meanwhile, Pakistan opposition leaders have questioned the role of the government during the crisis.
“Where was the government? What was the PM doing now? Why weren’t they prepared,” asked PML-N’s Hamza Shahbaz.
PPP Vice-President Sherry Rehman said the government “surely needs to be more vigilant about the flood of tourists on the Galiat [sic] routes in extreme weather”.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said that 1.4 million tourists visited the east African nation in 2021 amid the Covid-19 pandemic that hugely affected the tourism industry…reports Asian Lite News
In her message to welcome the New Year, President Hassan said only 620,867 tourists visited the country in 2020, the year that the pandemic was first reported in Tanzania and in several other countries across the world, reports Xinhua news agency.
“In 2021, there was an increase of 779,133 tourists who visited Tanzania,” she said in her address televised live by the state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation.
Israel will be reopened to tourists fully vaccinated against Covid-19…reports Asian Lite News
Starting from November 1, Israel will be reopened to tourists fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to a plan jointly drafted by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office and the Ministries of Tourism and Health.
Israel to reopen for fully vaccinated tourists
Under the plan, individual tourists who are fully inoculated with vaccines produced by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinovac, and Sinopharm will be allowed to enter the country, reports Xinhua news agency.
People who have recently recovered from Covid-19 would also be allowed to enter the country if they had received a booster dose of a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization, according to the plan.
The plan is subjected to updates “according to developments and the discovery of new variants,” and will be brought for final approval of the cabinet later this month.
Shurooq announces the opening of Mysk Moon Retreat
‘Mysk Moon Retreat’ welcomes guests and unveils 4 new hospitality projects in Sharjah…reports Asian Lite News
The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) announced that the Mysk Moon Retreat has begun welcoming guests and bookings to experience the emirate’s first-of-its-kind luxury glamping destination, and unveiled four new luxury hospitality projects in Sharjah’s Central and Eastern regions which are: Al Jabal Resort in the city of Khorfakkan, a luxurious hotel in the city of Kalba, a hotel in the city of Khorfakkan which will feature UAE’s first waterpark in the east coast; and Al Bridi Resort at the Sharjah Safari project in the city of Al Dhaid.
Shurooq announces the opening of Mysk Moon Retreat
Exciting range of desert adventures
The family-friendly Mysk Moon Retreat comprises 10 single-bed domes with private pools, 4 family tents with private pools, and 2 single-bed tents. Each unit is self-sufficient and fitted with all essential amenities that guests would require, including a private barbeque area, in addition to a lobby, and a common area.
The Mysk Moon Retreat is part of Shurooq’s Sharjah Collection brand, managed by Mysk by Shaza, which includes the Mysk Kingfisher Retreat in Kalba, Mysk Al Faya Retreat in Mleiha, and Mysk Al Badayer Retreat in the heart of the Al Badayer desert.
HE MARWAN BI JASSIM AL SARKAL, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF SHUROOQ: “With Mysk Moon Retreat now welcoming guests and bookings, this marks an exciting expansion of Shurooq’s portfolio of boutique hospitality offerings in the central region of Sharjah. It is the latest destination in a series of projects developed here, namely, the Mysk Al Faya Retreat, Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism, and the Mleiha Archaeological Centre.”
Al Sarkal pointed out that the eco-luxury retreat provides visitors with the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities like trekking, dune bashing, and nature-inspired experiences in the rugged Mleiha landscape. Guests at Mysk Moon Retreat will have access to a wide range of activities offered by Shurooq’s tourism destinations in Mleiha, in addition to enjoy the calm and tranquil environment of Mleiha through the retreat’s restaurant and a café, as the destination is situated away from all types of noise and light pollutions.
Al Jabal Resort – Memorable beach getaway in a stunning setting
Shurooq’s latest hospitality offering, Jabal Resort, overlooks the pristine waters of the Soueifa Beach, situated between Khorfakkan Beach and Luluya Beach, and comprises of 45 eco-friendly units with choices of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms, and a private royal suite with swimming pool. In addition, the 187,000sqm project which is being developed on the slopes of the Al Soueifa mountain, will feature a restaurant, gym, kids play zone, reception, and lobby.
Various attractions around the project will be connected via walking routes and tracks with a completion date set for March 2022.
5-star luxury hotel and waterpark in Khorfakkan
The Executive Chairman of Shurooq also announced the development of a new 28,000 sqm hospitality project in Khorfakkan, opposite the Khorfakkan Port, to cater to the needs of families and adventurers seeking new hospitality experiences. He revealed that the project will feature 75 luxurious units, UAE’s first waterpark in the east coast, shopping complex, restaurant, gym, spa, marina, and residential units.
5-star Hotel in the City of Kalba
Announcing the new hospitality project in Kalba on Sharjah’s eastern coast, Al Sarkal stated that this region which lies on the southern coast of the UAE, next to the Kalba waterfront project, opposite to Kalba flag square
Shurooq’s new 12,500 sqm project here lies in the vicinity of the region’s renowned diving locations. It includes 80 units, two restaurants including a café in the lobby, a gym, spa, swimming pool and meeting halls.
Al Bridi Resort and Petting Zoo in Al Dhaid
Al Sarkal noted that “Al Bridi Resort” in Al Dhaid, Shurooq’s latest tourism attraction in Sharjah’s central region which is being developed in partnership with the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, as part of the “Sharjah Safari” project, the largest safari in the world outside Africa, is expected to start at the end of this year.
Al Sarkal also announced that Shurooq has started developing “Al Dhaid Farm”, the city’s first petting zoo experience, near The Flag Square in Al Dhaid, which set to feature a wide range of entertainment activities and experiences for families and children along with domestic farm animals.
Expansion of “Mysk Kingfisher Retreat” and “Mysk Al Badayer Retreat”
Shurooq also announced it has begun operations in expanding both Mysk Kingfisher Retreat in Kalba and Mysk Al Badayer Retreat in the natural dunes of Al Badayer, in response to the growing demand which both destinations experienced over the past years.
Mysk Kingfisher Retreat will be housing 20 new luxurious tents, varying between 4-bedroom and 2-bedroom units, and Mysk Al Badayer Retreat will house 15 new tents for an oasis, in addition to an outdoor swimming pool open to all guests at the retreat.
Shurooq has been leading the development of various world-class award-winning hospitality projects across the emirate of Sharjah, in line with its vision to diversify investment opportunities and strategic partnerships in the emirate’s growing eco-tourism, family tourism, cultural tourism and adventure tourism sectors, in addition to other sectors such as hospitality, retail, entertainment and more. Among its top and iconic hospitality destinations include The Chedi Al Bait Sharjah Hotel in the Heart of Sharjah, and four eco-retreats that fall under the “Sharjah Collection” brand developed by Shurooq and managed by “Mysk by Shaza” which are: “Mysk Kingfisher Retreat” in the city of Kalba, “Mysk Al Badayer Retreat” in Al Badayer desert, “Mysk Al Faya Retreat” in Mleiha, and “Mysk Moon Retreat” Set in the shadow of the Fossil Rock, amidst the sand dunes of Mleiha.
The campaigns come with lively promotional videos running in Spanish and English that highlight some of the unique attractions of each city…reports Asian Lite News.
Madrid and Barcelona, the two largest cities in Spain, have launched promotion campaigns to lure back international tourists as the Covid-19 restrictions in the country were now being relaxed.
“If life were a city, it’d be Madrid” and “Barcelona like never before” are the slogans of the two campaigns aimed at reactivating tourism after over a year of mobility restrictions due to the pandemic.
The campaigns come with lively promotional videos running in Spanish and English that highlight some of the unique attractions of each city.
The Barcelona video is a montage showing visitors enjoying different aspects of the city, while the Madrid video proposes 10 activities to do in the capital city.
“We are making an effort to communicate all of the advantages offered by Madrid, which is one of the best cities to enjoy in the world and which has an incredible quality of life,” Ana Alemany, head of the Madrid Promotion and Brand Service, told Xinhua on Sunday.
With restrictions on international visitors coming to Spain removed on June 7 and the face mask mandate in outdoor spaces scrapped on June 26, the campaigns focus on some of the cities’ strongest selling points for international visitors.
“Barcelona is one of the most important and relevant destinations in the world,” Marian Muro, director of the Barcelona Tourism Consortium, told Xinhua.
“Barcelona is a ‘cool’ city and so people want to visit it. It is also a clear exponent of a Mediterranean city with a rich culture and gastronomy.”
Before the pandemic, tourism accounted for 7 per cent of Madrid’s annual gross domestic product (GDP), according to the regional authority, while the Barcelona City Council estimated that tourism made up 12 per cent of the city’s GDP.
Exceltur, the Alliance for Excellency in Tourism which represents many of Spain’s largest tourism companies, had recently forecast that this summer the country will recover over 70 per cent of the activity registered in 2019, which was a record year for the sector.
Starting from June 7, international travellers who have undergone the vaccination process using one of the jabs approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), or those with a negative certificate of a Diagnostic Test of Active Infection or a certificate of Recovery after having passed this disease, are allowed entry to Spain. (Xinhua/IANS)
Paris, Sept. 4, 2020 (Xinhua) -- People wearing masks walk on the Trocadero Place near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, Sept. 3, 2020. The French government aims to mobilize 100 billion euros (118 billion U.S. dollars) in a recovery plan "of historic size" to help the country recover from the coronavirus pandemic crisis, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on Thursday. Ecological transition, competitiveness and social cohesion were identified as the three pillars of the plan dubbed "France Relaunch," which Castex said was "the most massive announced to date among major European countries." (Xinhua/Gao Jing/IANS)
Earlier, President Emmanuel Macron had announced that France will share at least 30 million doses of vaccines by different manufacturers by the end of the year through the COVAX COVID-19 vaccines distribution mechanism…reports Asian Lite News.
France is planning to introduce tighter Covid-19 curbs for travellers from UK when tourism reopens this summer in a bid to prevent the spread of a new virus variant first detected in India and creating concern in Britain, according to media reports.
Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian suggested that Britain could be put in a health category of its own, somewhere in between the strictest measures that France is imposing on visitors from India and 15 other countries, and more relaxed requirements being readied for visitors from the European Union and some other countries, it was reported.
Earlier, President Emmanuel Macron had announced that France will share at least 30 million doses of vaccines by different manufacturers by the end of the year through the COVAX COVID-19 vaccines distribution mechanism.
“France was the first to share its vaccines via the COVAX mechanism … and in this context, I want to say very seriously now that France will share at least 30 million doses of different vaccines by the end of the year,” Macron told the Global Health Summit.
AstraZeneca vaccine
“We must refrain from playing politics with our vaccines. I would like to be clear with you: no to cronyism, yes to vaccine multilaterialism,” Macron said.
The French president’s initiative was supported by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who pledged to follow her colleague’s example.
“I too would like to follow suit, following the French example, and say that we will make available by the end of the year another 30 million doses of vaccines,” Merkel said, adding that this pandemic’s grip on the world is still tight and the issue of new variants still needs to be addressed.
As the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines continues across the world, it has revealed stark inequality between the countries that can afford to purchase and administer the remedy and those lacking financial and infrastructure capacity to do so.
The COVAX facility has been established to even out the playing field by providing access to diagnostics, treatment and vaccines against the disease to developing countries. COVAX aims to ship close to 2 billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2021, in an unprecedented global effort to guarantee access to vaccines for all. (with inputs from ANI/Sputnik)
